TEHRAN- Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the UN, has called for immediate and unconditional humanitarian aid for Afghanistan as the country is wrestling with economic woes.

Iravani made the remarks during a briefing on the “Situation in Afghanistan” at the UN Security Council on Tuesday. 

The full text of Iravani’s speech is as follows:

I thank Albania for convening this meeting. I also thank Ms. Otunbayeva, Special Representative, and Ms. Sima Bahous, Executive Director (UN Women), for their briefing.

We also take note of the Secretary-General’s report on the situation in Afghanistan (S/2023/678).

The report highlights the ongoing and escalating humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan in 2023. It reveals that an alarming two-thirds of the population, approximately 29.2 million people, require urgent assistance, marking a concerning increase from 28.3 million earlier in the year.

Adding to the severity of the situation, inadequate humanitarian funding has exacerbated these unprecedented levels of need. The Humanitarian Response Plan, requiring a total of 3.23 billion dollars, remains severely underfunded, with only 27 percent of the necessary funds secured as of September 12th.

We firmly believe in the importance of impartial and unconditional humanitarian aid. It is also crucial to lift unilateral sanctions to support and facilitate Afghanistan's economic recovery.

The international community has a moral obligation to fulfill its humanitarian commitments and pledges, demonstrating solidarity and compassion for the Afghan people.

We emphasize the need for collective cooperation to assist Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy and creating conditions conducive to the well-being of its citizens, while also facilitating the safe return of Afghan refugees.

As a neighboring country, deeply impacted by the influx of millions of Afghan refugees, we are alarmed by the potential consequences of the current situation for regional security and stability. The persistent presence of Daesh and Al-Qaida affiliates, coupled with the scourge of drug trafficking, poses a substantial threat to Afghanistan, neighboring countries, and the broader international community.

Tragically, on 13 August 2023, we witnessed yet another devastating terrorist attack, targeting innocent civilians and pilgrims visiting the Shah-e-Cheragh shrine in Shiraz. This cowardly act resulted in the martyrdom of two innocent Iranians and the injury of several others. Daesh claimed responsibility for the second such attack in ten months.

While preliminary indications suggest a reduction in opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, following a de facto authorities ban on narcotics cultivation in April 2022, our concerns regarding drug trafficking persist.

Regrettably, there has been no progress by the de facto authorities in achieving genuine ethnic and political inclusion. Instead, they continue to impose increasingly stringent restrictions on Afghan women and girls, severely curtailing their access to education. We reiterate our call for the establishment of an inclusive government, recognizing it as a crucial step towards the safety and dignified return of millions of Afghan refugees to their homeland.

We are also deeply concerned about measures taken by the de-facto authorities that seek to undermine Afghans' cultural, linguistic, and historical ties to the Farsi language. These measures not only threaten Afghanistan's stability and security but also violate the basic human rights of all Afghan citizens. They should be promptly reversed to protect the rights of the Afghan people.

Iran remains steadfast in its commitment to close collaboration with neighboring countries, relevant partners, and the United Nations to promote enduring peace, security, and stability in Afghanistan.

Iran played a crucial role in the delivery of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan by establishing a novel distribution route that utilized the Chabahar port in Iran. As an example, on July 4th, a substantial shipment of 10,000 metric tons of wheat successfully reached Herat for further distribution to people in need across Afghanistan.

Despite the Taliban's failure to meet their commitments, we must maintain our constructive engagement with the de facto authorities. This approach is instrumental in seeking the best possible outcomes for the people of Afghanistan and the broader international community.

Iran believes that collaboration between Afghanistan and regional countries will resolve the challenges the Country is facing. To this end, Iran actively supports regional initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue with Afghanistan, such as neighboring ministerial meetings and the Moscow format, the next round of which is scheduled for September 29th in Kazan, Russia. We look forward to the outcome of this meeting, which will focus on the key subject of inclusive government.

We hope that the de facto authorities will fulfill their international obligations, particularly in upholding Afghanistan's commitments under border treaties with its neighbors.

Finally, we reaffirm our support for the ongoing United Nations efforts, particularly UNAMA, which play a pivotal role in the pursuit of peace and stability in Afghanistan, a matter of paramount importance given the current circumstances.

Envoy protests about Israeli regime threat against Iran at UN

In letters to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to the President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis and President of the UN Security Council Ferit Hoxha on September 25, Iravani also strongly protested about the nuclear threat uttered by the prime minister of the Zionist regime Benjamin Netanyahu against Iran at the United Nations General Assembly session.

He had strongly condemned Netanyahu’s remarks as they were in clear violation of international regulations.

Iran will spare no effort to fulfill its legitimate rights to defend its national interests, the ambassador wrote.

Below is the full text of Iravani’s letter of protest:

Upon instructions from my Government, I would like to draw the attention of the Security Council to the persistent and blatant violations of international law by the Israeli regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The most recent being the alarming and serious threat of using nuclear weapons against Iran by the Prime Minister of the Israeli regime. During his address on 22 September 2023, to the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of the Israeli regime, made explicit threats to use nuclear weapons against a sovereign member state of the United Nations. He asserted: "Above all -- above all -- Iran must face a credible nuclear threat. As long as I'm prime minister of Israel, I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons." (GA/12536) 

Given that nuclear weapons pose an existential threat to humanity and our planet, the gravity of such a threat is immeasurable and sends shockwaves throughout the international community when delivered from the prestigious podium of the United Nations General Assembly, which serves as the United Nations' primary representative body. The use or even the mere threat of use of nuclear weapons, regardless of the circumstances, by anyone, at any time, and anywhere is an egregious violation of not only international law but also the very essence of the United Nations Charter, in particular, Article 2(4) of the Charter. Moreover, when such a bellicose threat emanates from an illegitimate regime that has been widely condemned for its aggressions, apartheid policies, and sponsoring terrorism, and is known to possess an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction alongside advanced conventional weaponry, it heightens the serious threat to international peace and security and the international community must not remain indifferent or silent.

The Israeli regime shamelessly defies repeated international calls to join legally binding instruments that prohibit weapons of mass destruction and obstructs the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, a proposal that Iran has championed since 1974. Therefore, this alarming situation demands a robust response from the international community at large, with the United Nations Security Council bearing a particular responsibility to resoundingly and unequivocally denounce the Israeli regime's reckless and dangerous statements. The preservation of international order and the safeguarding of our collective humanity necessitate an unwavering commitment and resolute action in response to such threats.

While vehemently and unequivocally condemning the Israeli regime's perilous threat to use nuclear weapons against Iran as a flagrant violation of established peremptory norms of international law, the Islamic Republic of Iran firmly reaffirms its legitimate and inherent rights, in full accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter, to respond resolutely to any threats and unlawful acts originating from the Israeli regime. Iran also declares that it will not hesitate to exercise these rights to defend its security, national interests, and people.